Rocca di Frassinello Poggio Alla Guardia 2009

Type: Italian Red

Winery: Rocca di Frassinello

Region: Italy > Tuscany

Red Wine

 

International Wine Cellar 92
"Good dark ruby. Aromas of dark cherry, blueberry, milk chocolate and pepper are lifted by an intense violet note. Pliant, concentrated and sweet, with luscious red fruit and dark berry flavors. Finishes with strong but well integrated tannins and good acid lift. A very impressive entry-level wine."

James Suckling 91
"A rich and stylish red with plum, chocolate, spices and fresh flowers. Full and velvety, with lovely ripe tannins and a fruit. Soft and delicious. Drink now."~J.S.

Mas des Volques Volcae X 2010

Type: Rhone Blend Red

Winery: Mas des Volques

Region: France > Rhone Valley

Red Wine

 

Rhone Report 92
"The first vintage from proprietor Nicolas Souchon and a brilliant effort, the 2010 Mas des Volques Volcae X, a blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Carignan fermented with 100% stem inclusion, offers up classic southern France styled qualities of pepper, garrigue, olive tapenade, and herb-laced red and black fruits. Full-bodied and beautifully polished on the palate, with excellent concentration and an overall classy, pure feel, this knockout 2010 will shine for 4-5 years, if not longer.

Coming from the new Duché d'Uzès appellation, which was just awarded AOC status this summer and is located 40 kilometers west of Avignon and north of Costières-de-Nîmes, these knockout wines are made by Nicolas Souchon, who is the assistant winemaker at Clos Saint Jean."~JD

Failla 'Sonoma Coast' Pinot Noir 2011

Type: Pinot Noir

Winery: Failla 'Sonoma Coast'

Region: California > Sonoma Coast

Red Wine

 

Wine Enthusiast 95
"It’s hard to believe that this fabulous Pinot is Failla’s least expensive selection; what a great indication of his 2011s yet to come and of the vintage in general. It’s bone dry and rich in raspberry flavor, with brisk acidity, firm minerality and a perfectly applied jacket of
smoky oak. Elegant, pure and savory, it’s just beautiful to drink now. Editors’ Choice. —S.H."

"A great intro to Failla's Pinots, this one comes from four cool-climate vineyard sites across the Sonoma Coast appellation: Floodgate, Keefer Ranch, Hirsch and Failla's Estate vineyard, The 2011 vintage was notably colder, too, which just amplfies the cool-climate character of this wine. Aged in only 20% new French oak, this vintage has elegant tannins, bright acidity, high-tone fruit, earth and mineral components that make it delightful to drink now with a meal and ageable too. Only 800 cases were produced."

A product of the same kid-glove winemaking as our vineyard designated pinots, the 2011 Sonoma Coast is aged in French oak, about 20% new. Fermentation took place in small open top fermenters. Each lot was fermented separately with its own natural yeast followed by secondary fermentation with its own natu-ral malolactic bacteria. Following pressing the lots were aged individually on their gross lees for 11 months, then racked and blended just several days before bottling. The resulting wine was bottled unfiltered.

Vineyard / History:
As an introduction to the Failla line-up the Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir gives the drinker a benchmark understanding of the wines we strive to craft. Another banner year for this blend, we added a new site meeting Ehren s high standard of quality; the Floodgate Vineyard. This vineyard is an organically farmed parcel just north of River Road in the heart of the Russian River. The balance of the blend is from the young-vine blocks in many of our single vineyard Sonoma Coast appella-tion sources. While 2009 was the structured vintage, 2011 is an elegant low alcohol vintage showcasing cool tones of Pinot Noir and ele-gant tannins.

Joseph Phelps Vineyards Insignia 2006

Type: Red Blends

Winery: Joseph Phelps Vineyards

Region: California > Napa Valley

Red Wine

 

Wine Spectator 94
"Teasing with its floral, spicy cherry, wild berry and currant aromas, this is full-bodied, firm and structured, tight and focused, offering glimpses of what lies ahead with its complex mix of flavors and tightly wound tannins. Yet its finesse and refinement are apparent on the finish. Needs time. Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Best from 2011 through 2018."

Robert Parker 95 +
"The 2006 Insignia (95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot; 16,000 cases produced) is a superb effort in this vintage. Another 30+ year wine, it boasts a dense plum/purple color as well as abundant notes of licorice, black currants, charcoal, black olives, and graphite. Full-bodied, pure, and rich with moderately high tannins, it represents a California version of a Bordeaux from Pauillac or St.-Julien. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2045."

Connoisseurs Guide to Wine 95
"95% Cabernet Sauvignon; 5% Petit Verdot. Already amazingly seductive with wonderfully rich aromas of sweet oak, cocoa and fully expressed fruit making a first-rate introduction, this riveting young wine in no way lets up on the palate and delivers deep, multi-faceted flavors that combine ripeness, sweet oak and very precise fruit in near-perfect proportion. As is often the case with Insignia bottlings, it is so beautifully balanced that it invites early drinking, and, while we do not condemn giving in to its charms, we also would lobby strongly for patience as its best lies years down the line."

Ruffino Modus 2009

Type: Italian Red

Winery: Ruffino

Region: Italy > Tuscany

Red Wine

 

James Suckling 95
"Alluring aromas of currants and fresh herbs with hints of rose petals. Full body, with juicy tannins and a tangy, fruity, and refreshing finish. Tar and spice undertones. A blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. Drink or hold."

International Wine Report 92
"The 2009 Ruffino Modus comes predominantly from the vineyards of the Poggio Casciano Estate and from other selected vineyards of the Ruffino Estates in Tuscany. It delivers beautiful aromas and flavors of fresh blackberries, dark cherries, smoke, scorched earth, and some dark chocolate. This is supported by a full muscular body with polished tannins and long juicy finish."

Wine Spectator 90
"This rich, full red's suave texture sets the stage for cherry, leather and underbrush flavors. The tannins match its rugged character, leaving a dusty, mouthcoating impression. Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best from 2014 through 2023."

Chateau Senejac Haut Medoc 2010

Type: Bordeaux Red

Winery: Chateau Senejac

Region: France > Bordeaux

Red Wine

 

Wine Enthusiast 93
"This chateau is under the same ownership as Saint-Julien’s Château Talbot. The wine is firm, fruity, rich and concentrated, showing all the best qualities of 2010. There is a complex array of black fruits which are sustained by the firm, solid tannins. Age for at least 6–7 years."~RV

James Suckling 92
"Really ripe almost jammy sweet fruit with raspberries, black currant and vanilla. Some fresh citrusy notes too. Full on the palate with ripe fruit and soft texture. Fine smooth tannins and good length. This chateau always makes serious wine."

Neal Martin 91
"Tasted at the Crus Bourgeois 2010 tasting in London. The Senejac has a superb bouquet with vigorous blackberry, wild strawberry and tobacco-tinged aromas that soar from the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy, dry tannins. There is plenty of substance here with a dash of black pepper and cedar on the finish. Very St. Estephe like: this is an excellent cru bourgeois. Drink now-2018. Tasted September 2012."

Eric Herault 'Cuvee Tradition' Chinon 2010

Type: Other Red Wines

Winery: Eric Herault

Region: France > Loire

Red Wine

 

Wine Spectator 92
"Dark and racy, with an espresso streak running through the core of blackberry, black currant and maduro tobacco notes. The long, tar- and olive-filled finish remains lively thanks to savory herb and sanguine notes. Drink now through 2020. 1,500 cases made."

Chateau La Tour de Mons Margaux 2009

Type: Bordeaux Red

Winery: Chateau La Tour de Mons

Region: Bordeaux > Margaux

Red Wine

 

Wine Spectator 92-95
"Bright blackberry and sweet currant aromas follow through to a full body, silky and refined, with an excellent density and a long, long finish. Soild and polished. Best ever from here"

Bodegas Alma Negra Misterio 2008

Type: Red Blends

Winery: Bodegas Alma Negra

Region: Argentina > Mendoza

Red Wine

 

Wine Advocate 91
"The 2008 Misterio is a blend of Bonarda, Malbec, and Petit Verdot aged in barrique for 12 months. It displays more complexity than the Blend cuvee in its bouquet of wood smoke, Asian spices, violets, plum, and blackberry. Medium-bodied on the palate, with a sense of elegance in the glass, this nicely proportioned effort has the structure to evolve for 1-2 years and will provide pleasure through 2020. Alma Negra is owned by Ernesto Catena and the wines are made by Gustavo Marin and Jose

Domaine de la Colline St-Jean Vacqueyras 2010

Type: Rhone Blend Red

Winery: Domaine de la Colline St-Jean

Region: France > Rhone Valley

Red Wine

 

Rhone Report 93
"A gorgeous Vacqueyras that's a blend of 70% Grenache, 25% Syrah and 5% Mourvedre aged 70% in cement tank and 30% in barrique, the 2010 Domaine de la Colline Saint Jean Vacqueyras is exotic and perfumed, yielding creamy blackberry, raspberry, lavender, spring flowers, and green peppercorn aromatics that soar from the glass. Beautifully complex and nuanced, with a full-bodied, polished texture, impeccable balance, and an overall fresh, yet decadently rich profile, this knockout 2010 should be purchased by the cases, and consumed over the coming decade. Brilliant stuff and this screaming value is well worth the effort to track down."~JD

Wine Spectator 90
"Plump and fleshy, with layers of linzer torte, currant confiture and cherry preserves laced with toasted anise and backed by a long, graphite-filled finish. Offers nice grip. Drink now through 2017. 5,000 cases made."~JD

Domaine Grand Veneur Cotes du Rhone Reserve 2010

Type: Rhone Blend Red

Winery: Domaine Grand Veneur

Region: France > Rhone

Red Wine

 

Robert Parker 90
"The 2010 Cotes du Rhone Reserve (a blend of 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah and 10% Cinsault, with nearly 10,000 cases imported) is outstanding. Dense purple, with notes of roasted meats, black raspberries, blackberries, licorice and lavender, this wine is just terrific. Medium to full-bodied, rich and certainly far deeper and more concentrated than one has any reason to expect from a wine that sells for $15 (the taste is more like one for $35 to $50), this is a winner that will drink well for 4-5 years. "

Rhone Report 91
"Surpassing the excellent '09 by a fair bit, the inky colored 2010 Domaine Grand Veneur Cotes du Rhone Reserve, a blend of 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, and 10% Cinsault, delivers textbook, classical aromas of black cherry and blackberry styled fruits that are intermixed with notions of licorice, garrigue, lavender, and dusty minerality. Thrillingly concentrated and fresh on the palate, with beautiful purity, a polished texture, and ripe tannin, this Chateauneuf-du-Pape look alike benefits from a decant, and should have upwards of a decade of prime drinking. A crazy value, this is a no brainer case purchase."

Leone di Castris Villa Santera Primitivo di Manduria 2009

Type: Italian Red

Winery: Leone di Castris Villa Santera

Region: Italy > Puglia

Red Wine

 

Wine Advocate 90
"The 2009 Primitivo di Manduria Villa Santera is a joyous red bursting with varietal character. Dark fruit, licorice, clovers and flowers emerge with lovely inner sweetness, adding complexity to the dense, expressive fruit. This is another winner from Leone de Castris. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2014."

"If these wines are any indication, recently arrived consulting oenologist Riccardo Cotarealla is having a profound impact on quality at Leone de Castris."

Pierre Amadieu Vacqueyras La Grangeliere 2011

Type: Rhone Blend Red
Winery: Pierre Amadieu
Region: France > Rhone

Red Wine

 

Rhone Report 91-93+
"One of the top barrel samples, the 2011 Pierre Amadieu Vacqueyras La Grangeliére checks in as a blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah that is aged 60% in tank, and 40% in 2-year-old barrels. Ripe, textured, and gorgeously rich, it offers up notions of bing cherry, licorice, leather, and spice-box to go with a fleshy, full-bodied palate. This will be a big 2011, and as with most wines from this vintage, it should be approachable on release. I suspect it will drink well for 7-8 years or more."

International Wine Cellar 90-92
"Bright ruby-red. Sexy, highly perfumed aromas of raspberry and cherry, with an Asian spice element building with air. Silky and seamless on the palate, offering juicy red fruit flavors and a lithe pinot-like texture and elegance. A floral note comes up with air and carries through the long, penetrating finish. Shows the elegance of the best '11s to full effect."~JR

Chateau de La Chaize Brouilly 2009

Type: Burgundy Red

Winery: Chateau de La Chaize

Region: France > Odenas

Red Wine

 

Wine Enthusiast 91
"This wine has a warm structure that's packed with black cherry flavor and finished with acidity."

Benjamin Romeo El Predicador 2009

Type: Spanish Red

Winery: Benjamin Romeo

Region: Spanish > Rioja

Red Wine

 

Robert Parker 93
"Benjamin Romeo has garnered a few perfect scores from The Wine Advocate in the past. His least expensive offering, the brilliant 2009 Predicador is a blend of 96% Tempranillo, 3% Garnacha and 1% Viura aged 16 months in one-year-old French barrels. It exhibits an opaque purple color, beautiful notes of graphite, blackberries, crushed rocks and chalk, full-bodied power, a layered, opulent texture and a deep, dense, rich finish that lasts over 30 seconds. Drink this fabulous value over the next decade or more. Don’t miss it!"

International Wine Cellar 92
"Glass-staining ruby. Explosive, alluring aromas of black and blue fruits, incense, licorice and vanilla bean. Lush and broad but juicy and focused as well, with suave candied dark berry flavors accented by sexy floral and Indian spice nuances. Finishes broad, spicy and impressively long, with echoing boysenberry and licorice notes. In the context of flamboyant, new-wave Rioja this is an absolute steal."~JR

Bodegas J A Calvo Casajus Vendimia Seleccionada 2009

Type: Spanish Red

Winery: Bodegas J A Calvo Casajus

Region: Spain > Ribera del Duero

Red Wine

 

Wine Advocate 93
"The 2009 Casajus Vendimia Seleccionada underwent 40% of malolactic in cask, the remainder in stainless steel, then matured a la 2010 in Allier barrels. Typically it is more opulent than the 2010 with lifted fresh strawberry and raspberry fruit, although I prefer the minerality exuded by the succeeding vintage. The palate is medium-bodied with tensile tannins, a real edginess from start to finish, with an exhilarating symmetrical finish that actually has a striking semblance to the 2010. Outstanding. Drink now-2019."~NM

G. D. Vajra Barolo Albe 2008

Type: Italian Red

Winery: G. D. Vajra

Region: Piedmont > Barolo

Red Wine

 

Wine Advocate 93+
"The 2008 Barolo Albe is flat-out delicious. The Albe has often been a big step below the flagship Barolo Bricco delle Viole, but not in 2008. Although softer and rounder than that wine, there is plenty of vintage character in this vibrant, beautifully articulated Barolo. Sweet dark cherries, incense, licorice and tobacco are all wrapped around a pliant finish. The 2008 is accessible even today, and is a great – and I mean great – introductory Barolo for the year. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2020."~AG

Wine Spectator 94
"The rose, strawberry and cherry aromas and flavors are beautifully displayed on the elegant frame in this pure and delicately wrought red, which shows harmony and depth. The fine lingering finish expresses energy, with a mineral element. Best from 2015 through 2032.." ~ B.S.

Rocca di Frassinello Le Sughere di Frassinello 2009

Type: Italian Red

Winery: Rocca di Frassinello

Region: Italy > Tuscany

Red Wine

 

Wine Advocate 93
"The 2009 Le Sughere di Frassinello is simply dazzling in this vintage. Expressive floral notes are woven throughout a fabric of vibrant dark fruit in this intense, supple red. Racy and expressive from start to finish, the wine impresses for its fabulous harmony and ripe, explosive finish. Le Sughere is best described as the estate s second label. It is a 50% Sangioveto, 25% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged 12 months in French oak, 50% new. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2021. "

International Wine Cellar 93
"Ruby-red. Pungent oak spices, black cherry, cocoa and sweet pipe tobacco on the very pure nose. Silky and opulent in the mouth, with jammy dark cherry and chocolate flavors. Impressively dense, lush and long, with a strong repeating note of cocoa on the finish. Excellent for a wine that's not the estate's flagship bottling."

Wine Spectator 91
WS TOP 100 2011 Rank 69
"This red is imbued with black currant, cherry and cedar aromas and flavors. The tannins are firm, but nicely entwined with the texture, and this finishes with a harmony of fruit and spice. Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best from 2014 through 2022."

Belle Glos 'Meiomi' Pinot Noir 2011

Type: Pinot Noir

Winery: Belle Glos 'Meiomi'

Region: California > Sonoma

Red Wine

 

Wine Spectator 92
"Dark and rich, showing toasty mocha oak flavors, with a beam of wild berry, raspberry, cola, vanilla and spice. Long on the finish."

Bodegas El Nido 'Clio' Jumilla 2010

Type: Spanish Red

Winery: Bodegas El Nido

Region: Spain > Jumilla

Red Wine

International Wine Report 94
"The Bodegas El Nido 'Clio' is highly sought after by collectors year after year and there is no reason to indicate things will be any different with the 2010 release. This is a massive wine with a generous mouthful of densely packed jammy black fruits, blackberries, creme de cassis, exotic spices, pepper, dark chocolate, espresso, graphite, hints of lavender and well-integrated toasted oak. This is all backed by a rich full body with a plush texture and polished tannins. The spice-tinged finish is long and mouth-coating. This monster of a wine really fleshes out nicely with a few hours of air and the 15.5% alcohol becomes hardly noticeable. It will be even better in a few years if you can resist."